


How to Hatch Your Dragon

by Ladymordecai



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-24
Updated: 2010-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-14 01:23:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/143813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladymordecai/pseuds/Ladymordecai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He spent his life killing dragons--adjusting to Hiccup's new world is harder than Stoick likes to admit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How to Hatch Your Dragon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sophiap](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=sophiap).
  * Translation into Русский available: [Как Вывести Дракона](https://archiveofourown.org/works/299218) by [Nadis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nadis/pseuds/Nadis)



"Really, Dad, it’s okay. You don't have to do this."

Stoick shook his head, beads clanking together in his beard. Sweat beaded on his forehead; his roiling gut was telling him this was a bad, bad, bad idea, but his head--and his heart--knew it was the right choice.

A tiny green nose stuck out of the eggshell, and Stoick rested a fingertip lightly against it. The hatchling blew hot air against the pad of his finger. Then it drew back inside and started rocking again.

All around the nest, dragon hatchlings struggled out of their eggs and, urged on by their parents, crawled wet-winged over to the wide-eyed humans at the nest's edge, who reached out and cleaned them and generally made utter, utter fools of themselves over their brand-new baby dragons. Most of the people gathered at this nest's edge were children, since Terrors were considered good starting dragons, and didn't mind sharing once the little Vikings got bigger and wanted a dragon to ride.

Stoick couldn’t imagine having the strength to get on a dragon's back. Not even a dragon like Toothless, not that they'd found another Night Fury in the year since his town had become a dragon haven.

Behind him, Hiccup muttered encouragements to him and Toothless muttered encouragements to the tiny creature in the shell. Stoick's hands clenched, fingernails digging into his palms with nerves.

He'd fought dragons all his life. He'd been the best in Berk at killing them.

What right did he have to take a baby dragon into his life?

But Berk needed the dragons. They'd changed everything about the place, all of it for the better. They didn't have to fear dragons or other Vikings now, not with a battle force unlike anything the Norse world had ever seen. And the dragons made people happy. Toothless made his son happy, the way Stoick had never been able to.

A good leader did what was best for his people, and if he didn't find a dragon, others might reject them, return to the old ways, and Stoick couldn't be having with that. For Toothless and Hiccup's sake, if for no other reason.

With a soft crack the egg shell split. Stoick held his breath as a tiny, green-and-yellow body flopped out. Big-headed and soft-spined, the baby Terror blinked up at him. Then it mewed, breath blasting out of its nose, and tried to stand. Its legs wobbled.

Stoick's hand flashed out and he steadied the baby before it fell. It mewed again and rubbed its nose against his hand.

His heart caught in his throat. This little one--this hatchling he'd touched before it even left its shell--he couldn't conceived of harming it. Never. It mewed again and scrambled into the palm of his hand.

Stoick drew it up against his beard, and the baby let out another blast of hot air as his beard tickled it.

He swallowed around the sudden lump in it and said, "Furnace. I'll call you Furnace."

Behind him, Hiccup cleared his throat. Stoick shook his head and turned around to show his son the baby dragon. Toothless thrust out his head and offered him a basket of sliced fish. Stoick took a few strips and started hand feeding Furnace.

"It's a good name, Dad," Hiccup said, and Stoick smiled. He knew what Hiccup really meant.

Good job, Dad. Thanks.


End file.
